Throughout history, mankind has caught and maintained animals for various purposes. Some animals are kept in zoos for observation by the public and study by professionals. Other animals are utilized for food production and/or labor. And finally, there are animals that have been domesticated, such as dogs and cats, to provide companionship for humans.
The most numerous of those groups of animals is those that have been domesticated. For many individuals and families, their animal, or pet, is an integral part of the household. For people who are alone, a pet is often their closes companion.
It is no surprise therefore that many pets are allowed to live indoors, within a person's or family's home. But, just as humans require regular bathing to maintain health and hygiene, a pet does as well. If a domestic pet, such as a dog, does not receive regular bathing, it can lead to problems for the pet and the humans in the household.
As a result, most responsible pet owners ensure that their pet receives regular bathings. There are basically the choices available for pet bathing: either the pet owner does it themselves, or they take the pet to a professional, such as a pet groomer. Regardless of who does the actual bathing, it often is difficult. Many animals are not accustomed to remaining still while being shampooed and then soaked with water. Even well-trained animals can be difficult to bathe.
There have been attempts made to provide bathing devices or apparatuses for animals, but many of those do not consider all the requirements. Most people who bathe their own pets either use the family bathtub, which is not particularly hygienic for the family, or they simply spray the pet with a garden hose, which not only wastes water but usually requires two people-one to hold the pet and one to hold the hose. It is no surprise that many pets do not like being sprayed with the often high-pressure water coming from a garden hose.
Obviously, it would be extremely beneficial to provide a dedicated portable animal bathing apparatus that would be portable, easily to use and that would provide the animal or pet with a clean, safe environment in which the pet would feel comfortable. An apparatus such as this could be used by professional animal/pet bathers and by typical pet owners, and would optimally include humane means of restraining an animal or pet so that a single person could perform the bathing session.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention. However, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
PAT. NO.INVENTORISSUED5,213,064Mondine, et al25 May 19935,279,257Temby18 Jan. 19945,632,231Moore27 May 1997
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,064 discloses a portable animal bath apparatus that includes a housing in which an animal is confined, a hand-held shower device, and a moveable spray device positionable under the animal. The housing includes two half doors for facilitating ingress and egress of the animal, and the housing is narrow enough to confine the animal so as to limit its movement. The spray device may be attached to a flexible tube and includes a sponge attached to an end of the tube so that random whipping action of the tube causes a continuous washing motion to occur.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,257 discloses a portable pet washing and grooming apparatus. The apparatus maintains washing fluids within the apparatus from leaking or escaping beyond the apparatus confines which causes a user to stay dry while washing or grooming a pet. The apparatus has a flexible transparent upper easing that is permanently bonded to a rigid tub. The upper casing has a dorsal aperture for entry of an animal into the apparatus, a head opening through which the head of the animal can extend, and slide fastener sections and a slider for opening and closing the dorsal aperture and head opening.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,231 discloses a pet shower devices comprising a base that is sized to receive a pet, with the head of the pet extending outward from a front wall of the base. A cover is hinged at one side to the base. When the cover is in a closed position over the base, a front wall of the cover will fit about a neck of the pet. A structure carried within the base and the cover is for scattering small drops of water on the body of the pet, so as to clean the body of the pet.
For background purposes and as indicative of the art to which the invention is related reference may be made to the remaining patents located in the search:
PAT. NO.INVENTORISSUEDDes.342,120Dixon, Jr.7 Dec. 1993Des.404,853Foster, et al26 Jan. 19993,867,906Johnson25 Feb. 19754,549,502Namdari29 Oct. 19855,193,487Vogel16 Mar. 19935,448,966McKinnon et al12 Sep. 19955,678,511Day21 Oct. 19975,711,252Brandolino27 Jan. 19985,974,601Drane, et al2 Nov. 1999